Projectile



Sept. 23, 192%. 1,509,178

H. M. RATCLIFF PROJECTILE Filed March 13. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1m WITNESSES INVENTOR v 6653f) MM 6 A TTQRNE YS "Se t. 23, 192:; 1,509,178

H. M. RATCLIFF PROJECTILE Filed March 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES IN V EN TOR E Raichfl A TTORNE YS Patented gept. 23 1%24.

HILERY M. RATCLIFF, OF BLYTHEVILLE, ARKANSAS.

PROJEGTILE.

Application filed March 13, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HILERY M. RA'roLIrF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Blytheville, in the county of Mississippi and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to projectiles and has for its object the provision of a device which is especially adapted for long range firing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a projectile which will. be maintained in the air for a longer time than is ordinary and thereby providing a longer range for the projectile so that said projectile is especially adapted for use in coast guard duty in which the gun may be placed some distance inwardly of the coast and out of range of the guns of an. attacking ship.

Another object of the invention is to provide a projectile having means for maintaining the projectile for a longer time in the air and a rudder for maintaining the projectile in a straight line.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a projectile mounted in a. shell and ready for fir ing.

Figure 2 same.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of a re movable container forming part of the projectile.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the main body of the projectile. V

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the projectile Figure 6 is a longitudinal side view of the same.

is a. longitudinal section of the Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section Serial No. 624,862.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a breech loading shell having the usual charge of explosive material 2 held in position and under pressure by the wadding 3. A per forated metallic washer 4 is fitted in the shell 1 and against the outer wad.

A projectile constructed according to my invention is located in the shell 1 with the rear end in abutting relation with the metal washer 4. The projectile as disclosed in Figures 1 to t inclusive, comprises a body 5 which is elongated and has tapered ends 6 and 7. The forward tapered end 6 is adapted to limit the resistance of the projectile when passing through the air while the tapered end 7 is for the purpose of reducin the vacuum created by the passage of the projectile after leaving the shell 1..

The body member 5 is formed of steel or any other metal suitable for the purpose and is of sufficient weight to carry the projectile the required distance determined by the capacity of the gun which discharges the projectile. I

The body member is fiat on its top as shown in Figure e to which is secured afiat metallic plate 8 which extends laterally of the longitudinal side edges of the body member 5 to form wings which engage the air and is for the purpose of overcoming the force of gravity to retain the projectile in the air for a longer space of time than ordinarily would be had without the employment of such wings. The flat metal plate 8 is either welded, bra-Zed or secured by a rivet 9 to the body member 5.

A vertical slot 10 is formed in the end 7 of the body member 5 and into which is inserted a rudder 11 and riveted at 12 to said body member. The plate 8 is likewise provided with a slot 13 at its rear end through which the wing 14 of the rudder projects and extends above the upper surface of said plate. The rear vertical edge of the rudder 11 is provided with a notch 15 which engages that portion 16 of the metal of the plate 8 which is'at the rear end of the slot 13.

Mounted on the top of the plate 8 is a semi-cylindrical member17 havin a flat bottom and a chamber 18 adjacent the plate 8. lhis chamber is adapted to contain paper upon which a message has been written or the same may contain gas or an explosive which is adaptedto be fired when the projectile hits some object. When used as a message carrier the same may be employed where a part of a regiment has become detached and isolated from the main body of the army and whereby the projectile is then employed for notifying the commander of the regiment of the position of the isolated portion. The member 17 may be made of any light material such as stamped sheet metal.

The ends of the member 17 are tapered as shown at 19 and 20 w'th the rear end being provided with a slot 21 which neatly embraces the wing 14 of the rudder 11.. A screw 22 is shown which is adapted to pass through a perforation in the plate 8 and engaging a threaded perforation 23 in the member 17 whereby said member is locked to the plate. The member 17 not only is adapted to form a means for carrying a message or some explosive but is also adapted to engage a point in the barrel of the gun which is diametrically opposite to the lower edge of the body member 5 for maintaining the projectile centrally of the barrel of the gun and the lower edge of the body member 5 in engagement with its respective portion of said barrel.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 disclose a modified term which incorporates all the important features of Figure 1 and differs only irom' the construction disclosed by Figure 1 in that the hollow member 17 is provided with a separate base plate 26 having laterally projecting cars 24. The casing 17 is provided with a hollow chamber 18 as shown in dotted lines. Said casing may be stamped or pressed from sheet metal and welded. or brazed to the plate 26. the chamber 1S being adapted, when desired. to be filled with an explosive as in the construction shown in Figure 4. The ears 2% of the base plate 26 are secured by means of rivets to the winged plate 8.

The plate 8 at its r ar end is provided with a slot. through which the wing 14 of the rudder 11 extends, the rudder being riveted at 12 to the body member 5 of the projectile. The wing 14 is provided with an extension as shown at 27 which receives one end of the slot in the plate 26. The member 17". like member 17 of Figures 1 to 4, provides means for maintaining the lower longitudinal edge of the body member 5 against the portion of the barre] of the gun.

In Figures 8 to 10 inclusive the body member 5 is secured by means of rivets 9 to the wing plate 8. The member 17 is provided with a slot 28 at its rear end which engages the wing 14: of the rudder 11, said rudder being riveted to the body member as shown at 12 in Figure 10. The member 17* .is formed of any light material and is not secured to the wing plate 8 on the member 5 but merely loosely engages the wing 1 1 of the rudder by means of the em bracing slot at its rear end. The member 17' provides a means for maintaining the lower edge of the body member on its re spective portion of the barrel of the gun. When the projectile is discharged from the gun, the member 17 drops off as the projectile reaches the air and is of no further use.

The metal. washer a, as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to be employed with all three forms of the projectiles and is adapted to act a protective means for the wadding 3 when the projectile is located within the shell 1 and prevent the metallic edges of the projectile from wearing or disfiguring the padding. hen the j'n'ojectile has been tired. metal washer 1 is likewise discharged. and is lost.

The member 1?". as shown more particularly in l igure 9. is provided with an undercut bevelled edge as shown at which is adapted to present a restricted flat surface to the air when discharged from the gun in order to aid in forcing the member 17" up wardly and out of relation with the body member 5.

What I claim is:

1. A projectile comprising an elongated metallic body member having pointed ends and an upper fiat longitudinal surface, a thin flat metallic plate secured to the flat surface of the body member with its lateral edges projecting beyond the longitudinal edges of the body member, a rudder secured to the body member and projecting vertically upward from the rear of said member. and a member of less weight than the body member removably mounted upon the thin metal member.

2. A projectile comprising an elongated metal body member having its opposite ends pointed, a fiat plate rigidly secured to the body member and having lateral extensions projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the body member. said body mom-- her being provided with a slot at its rear end. a rudder inserted within the slot and rigidly secured to the body member and having an upstanding wing projecting upwardly from the thin metal member. and a member provided with a slot at its rear end made of less weight than the body member engaging the upstanding wing of the rudder and seated upon the upper surface of the flat member.

3. A projectile comprising an elongated metallic body member having pointed ends, a rudder secured to the rear end of the body member and a member of less weight than the body member removably mounted upon the body member.

t. A. projectile comprising an elongated metallic body member having pointed ends. a rudder secured to the rear end of the body member and a hollow member of less weight than the body member removably mounted upon the body member, and wings project'- ing laterally from the longitudinal side edges of the body member.

A projectile comprising an elongated metallic body member having pointed ends, a rudder secured to the rear end of the body member, and a member of less weight than the body member removably mounted upon the body member, and wings projecting laterally from the longitudinal side of the body member and at a point where the member of lighter material is joined to the body member.

6. A projectile comprising an elongated metal body member having its opposite ends pointed, a Hat plate rigidly secured to the body member having lateral extensions projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the body member and a slot at its rear end, said body member being provided with a slot at its rear end, a rudder inserted within the slot and having upstanding wings projecting upwardly and through the slot in the thin plate.

7. A projectile comprising an elongated metal body member having its opposite ends pointed, a flat plate rigidly secured to the body member having lateral extensions projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the body member and a slot at its rear end, said body member being provided with a slot at its rear end, a rudder inserted within the slot and having upstanding wings projecting upwardly and through the slot in the thin plate, and a casing of less weight than the body member removably mounted on said plate and provided with a slot at its rear end engaged by the wings of the rudder.

8. A projectile comprising an elongated metal body member having its opposite ends pointed, a flat plate rigidly secured to the body member, having lateral extensions projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the body member and provided with a slot at its rear end, the body member being provided with a slot at its rear end, a rudder inserted within the slot 7 of the body member rigidly secured thereto vided with a slot at its rear end of less a weight than the body member with said slot receiving the wing of the rudder 9. A projectile comprising'an elongated metal body member having its opposite ends pointed, a flat plate rigidly secured to the body member, having lateral extensions projecting outwardly from the longitudinal edges of the body member and provided with a slot at its rear end, the body member being provided with a slot at its rear end, a rudder inserted within the slot of the body member rigidly secured thereto and having an upstanding wing projecting through the slot of the fiat plate, said rudder being provided with a notch forming an overhanging lip at the point where the wing is connected to the rudder, with said lip engaging an end of the slot in the flat plate, and a casing provided with a slot at its rear end of less weight than the body member, with said slot receiving the wing of the rudder.

10. A projectile comprising an elongated metal body member having its opposite end pointed, a flat plate rigidlv secured to the body member, having lateral extensions projected outwardly from the longitudinal edge of the body member and provided with a slot at its rear end, said body member being provided with a slot at its rear end, a rudder inserted within the slot, rigidly secured to the body member and having an upstanding wing projecting upwardly through the slot in the metal plate, a substantially semi-circular hollow casing, a plate rigidly secured to the bottom open face of the semi-cylindrical casing and provided with laterally projecting ears, said casing being provided with a slot through which the wing of the rudder is inserted, and means for securing said ears to the fiat metal plate mounted on the body member.

HILERY M. RATCLIFF. 

